The Worst Nightmares Are Memories
by kpjackson
Summary: The only things worse than nightmares are summaries. Kate had been missing for days before Tadashi finally found her. He was relieved that she was safe but Kate was missing something, her memories. She had no memory of the last three days or her kidnapper. AU Tadashi lives. TRIGGER WARNING for violence and potentially disturbing scenes.
1. Waking Up

Kate

I woke up tired, confused, and alone. I looked around and wondered how I could have ended up in a dark alley but no memories came to me. My eyebrows furrowed as I murmured to myself. The last thing I remembered was sitting in my apartment on the phone with Tadashi. I reached into my pocket to find my phone. 17 missed calls..._what is going on? _I scrolled through the missed calls and saw that nine of them were from Tadashi. I brought my knees up to my chest and grabbed my throbbing head. _Calm down. _I picked up my phone and looked down. My eyes widened at the blood on my hand. _Just breathe. _Shaking, I dialed Tadashi's number, took a deep breath, and pressed send.

* * *

Tadashi

Tadashi sat with his head in his hands. He had been trying to study but couldn't focus. Kate had been missing for three days now. They had been on the phone when Tadashi heard glass breaking on the other end. "Kate?" She didn't respond but her breathing hitched slightly before he heard the phone drop. "Kate!" He heard her muffled voice followed by her screaming "Tadashi!" He rushed to her apartment without a second thought. It was a mess and Kate was gone. He called the police but they had no idea where she could be. All he could do was hang up missing posters and hope that she was okay.

Tadashi looked away from his notes and thought about calling her again. _If she didn't pick up the first nine times, why would she answer now? _His phone rang and he answered without looking.

"Tadashi?" He stopped breathing.

"Kate?"

"Dashi, I need your help. I don't know what's going on." She sounded terrified.

"Where are you?"

"I don't know. I just woke up in this alley. Dashi, I just wanna go home." He could hear her crying and tried to stay calm for her.

"Okay, I want you to look around for me. Is there a diner or a coffee shop near you?" Tadashi waited for her quietly, trying to calm his breathing.

"Joe's is across the street," She said finally.

"Go in and sit down. I'll be there in ten minutes." Tadashi ran down the stairs and out of his aunt's café.

* * *

Kate

I walked into the coffee shop with my head down. I sat in the back, trying to avoid attention. I didn't want anyone to see the blood on me. I sat quietly, staring at my phone. I didn't notice an older man approach me and I jumped when he spoke. "Miss?" I looked up, trying to mask my fear. "Are you okay?" I nodded but he didn't seem convinced. I could only imagine how I looked but he didn't push me for answers. "Well if you change your mind, I'll be up front." I thanked him quietly and he returned to the register.

I returned to playing with my phone and looked up as someone entered the shop. Tadashi. The relief on his face as he saw me was clear. I ran across the room and reached out to hug him. I felt his strong arms wrap around me and I immediately felt safe. "Shh…its okay" he whispered as he stroked my hair. I hadn't realized that I was crying again. I leaned away and tried to calm myself down as he wiped away the tears on my face. "Ready to go home?" I nodded, happy that I wasn't alone anymore.


	2. I Don't Want To Remember

Tadashi

They didn't speak on the way back to the Lucky Cat Café but Tadashi's mind was not focused on the road. Kate's arms were wrapped tightly around his waist, her face pressed against his back and he had to fight the urge to turn around and make sure she was real. He had been so worried but she was with him now. She was safe. Tadashi stopped the moped and paused before whispering, "We're here". Kate's arms loosened around him and she slid out of the seat. She wobbled slightly and Tadashi put his arm around her, holding her steady. She leaned into him as they walked into the closed café. Aunt Cass was still cleaning up and turned at the sound of the bell on the door. "Tadashi—" She had been prepared to scold him for running out earlier but when she saw Kate, she stopped. Her eyes softened and her mind filled with questions. "Kate."

"Hey Aunt Cass." Kate tried to smile but Aunt Cass could see that it was forced.

"Oh sweetheart, come here." Aunt Cass wrapped Kate into a hug before telling her to sit down. "You just relax. I'll go call the police and let them know you aren't missing anymore." As Cass walked away, Kate turned to Tadashi.

"How long exactly have I been gone?"

Tadashi leaned against the table and sighed, "three days." Tadashi saw her frown.

"I don't remember anything from the last three days," Kate whispered. Tadashi stayed silent. "We were talking about…" Kate paused and closed her eyes, "ice skating. We were talking about ice skating. You didn't want to go. You said you'd fall too much." She grinned at Tadashi.

"And you said that you would take Hiro with you instead. He's small enough that you could force him to go without too much trouble."

"And then," Kate frowned, trying to recall what had happened. "There was a crash. I heard something in the other room…that's it. That's all I can remember." Kate looked at him, frustrated.

"Do you want to remember?" He questioned.

"I don't know," Kate whispered. "I don't like not knowing what happened but I doubt that remembering would feel much better. I'm here now. I guess that's all that really matters." Tadashi disagreed. The person who had taken her was still out there but he didn't say anything, not wanting to scare her.

Aunt Cass walked back in and spoke to Kate. "An officer is on his way. They want to know what happened to you. I asked if they could wait until morning but they want to talk to you as soon as possible."

"Might as well get it over with but I won't be much help."

The officer arrived shortly and was disappointed with what Kate told him. He didn't stay long after he realized he wasn't going to get any answers from her. He left his card with her just in case she remembered anything before walking out of the café.

* * *

Kate

Tadashi helped me upstairs to the bathroom so I could shower. I felt disgusting and sitting through the conversation with the police officer had been torture. I couldn't stand feeling that dirty. I scrubbed my body down thoroughly and washed my hair. The hot water loosened my muscles and I delayed turning it off. Tadashi had left one of his t-shirts and a pair of sweatpants in the bathroom for me to change into and picked them up. I pressed the shirt to my face and inhaled deeply. I slipped the clothes on and combed through my tangled hair. I dried it a little with a towel and stepped into Tadashi and Hiro's room. "Where's Hiro?" I asked.

"Downstairs. He just got back from the lab." I heard footsteps as Hiro ran up the stairs and into the room.

"Kate! You're back!"

"Yeah, I'm back." I smiled but Hiro's mouth formed a frown as he looked at his feet.

"Aunt Cass says you don't remember anything about what happened."

"Not really, no."

"Okay well its time for both of you to go to bed," Tadashi interrupted. "Kate, I know you're exhausted." I didn't fight him and just slid under his covers. Hiro didn't try to argue with him either, which was a little surprising. But Tadashi made no move for the bed. I raised my eyebrows at him and Hiro spoke "What? Do you not want to tarnish her innocence or something?" Tadashi rolled his eyes.

"I have a little more work to do. You guys just go ahead and get some sleep," he said as he left the room.

I curled up in bed and whispered to Hiro, "How much you wanna bet he sleeps on the couch?" Hiro laughed.

"I say he falls asleep at the kitchen table downstairs." I smiled and closed my eyes. I did not sleep peacefully.

_I was screaming for Tadashi but I knew he was too far away to help me. I lashed out, hitting my attacker and I ran for the door. Before I even got close, I felt his hand grip my wrist. He turned me around I looked up. His face was a blur. Why couldn't I see his face? I kicked at him but he threw me to the ground and climbed on top of me. I couldn't breathe and tears streamed down my face. He held both of my wrists with one hand and I knew he was in control. I stopped fighting. There was nothing I could do. He was too strong. I tried to look at his face again but it was still blurry. The man laughed, "Oh Kate. I can't wait to start playing with you." His face was almost touching mine and I didn't dare breathe. He moved so his face was buried in my neck and my eyes filled with tears. I gasped when I felt him lick my neck and I started fighting again. He laughed again. "You're a fighter. I like that." He went for my neck again but I bit his ear. His grip on me loosened but I saw him draw back to hit me._

"Kate, wake up!" I opened my eyes gasped for air. I saw Tadashi looking down at me, holding my wrists. He let go once he knew I was awake and I sat up, pulling my knees to my chest. I stared at the blankets before looking up at Tadashi, my eyes filling with tears. "I don't wanna remember." I whispered, my voice cracking. Tadashi hugged me, stroking my hair.

"Shh. It was just a dream, just a nightmare. It's okay. I'm here." But it wasn't just a dream. It was a memory. And memories are the worst kinds of nightmares because you can't say they aren't real. You can't just brush it off and think "_this will never happen to me"_ because it wasn't just a dream. It was real, it happened, and it's terrifying.


	3. Back To SFIT

Kate

Tadashi held me until I had calmed down and asked, "You okay now?" I nodded and he stood up to leave but I grabbed his hand and pulled him back towards me.

"Stay," I whispered, my eyes pleading for him not to go. He looked in my eyes and then down to the hand that had grabbed his. I was still shaking even though the tears in my eyes had dried up. Without a word, he crawled underneath the covers beside me. He pulled me to him and I rested my head on his chest. Tadashi whispered "Do you want to tell me about it?"

"No." I breathed back. "Not now." I wasn't sure I could ever tell him. Saying it out loud would only make it seem more real.

I woke up to Tadashi's alarm clock blaring. I moaned and curled into a ball, burying my face underneath the covers and pressing into Tadashi. He chuckled quietly at my displeasure of being woken up and leaned over me to dismiss the alarm. "You're just as bad as Hiro."

"Sleep is good for the body," I mumbled. "It strengthens the immune system and decreases levels of cortisol and epinephrine."

"Yeah…epinephrine bad," Hiro muttered, not fully awake. I jumped and opened my eyes when I heard Hiro yell. Tadashi had pulled him out of bed and was holding him upside down by the ankles. "Fine! I'm up. Just put me down." I giggled. Tadashi better not try that with me.

I kept my eyes on him as he walked over to me and leveled his face with mine. "You coming?"

"SFIT?" He nodded and I sighed, getting up. "I guess I could hang out in the lab today and try to catch up on what I missed." I paused and frowned, realizing I had no clothes here. "But all my stuff is back and my apartment. I don't have my clothes or books or anything." Tadashi silently went into his closet and pulled out two bags. "Is that?"

"Yup. It's your backpack filled with your laptop and notes and your duffel bag with some clothes."

"Is that what you were doing last night?" He nodded. "Thanks, Tadashi. You're the best!"

We were the first ones in the lab and I walked over to my section. It wasn't really messy but it could use some organizing. All of my equipment had been put away properly but papers were scattered all over my desk. It had probably been driving Wasabi nuts. I set my backpack down and slid all of the papers into one stack. Sitting down on the floor, I started going through the stack and organizing the papers.

I heard the door to the lab open but couldn't see who came in. I went back to my papers and heard Tadashi from his section. "Hey Honey!"

"Oh hey, Tadashi. What's got you in a good mood?" I stopped listening and finished organizing the papers. I set them on my desk and smiled at my accomplishment. "What?! Why didn't you say something before?" I turned and walked away from my section. I heard a shriek and looked up in time to see Honey Lemon rushing towards me. She hugged me with such a force that I almost toppled over. "Kate! You're okay!"

I looked up at Tadashi, who was smiling. Honey let go of me and smiled widely. The door opened again and the rest of the gang walked in. Wasabi, Gogo, and Fred stopped when they saw me.

"Uh, hi?"

"Hi? Is that it? You've been missing for three days and all you've got is 'hi'?" I looked at Gogo, unsure of what to say. But before I could respond she turned on Tadashi. "You knew about this didn't you? And you didn't tell us?"

Tadashi responded better than I would have. "Calm down. She just got back late last night and there wasn't really a lot of time to tell you."

Honey spoke up. "Got back from where?" she questioned tentatively. "What exactly happened?" They all turned to me, waiting for an answer.

"I don't actually know. I don't remember much," I spoke quietly.

"Whoa. Amnesia. Quick, who am I?" I rolled my eyes at Fred.

"I remember you, Fred…just not what happened. I was in my apartment and then I woke up alone in an alley."

"Do the police have any leads?" questioned Wasabi.

"If they do, they haven't said anything to me. They seemed really disappointed that I couldn't tell them anything though."

"Did you go to a doctor or anything to get checked out? Make sure you don't have a concussion."

"Um well—"

"She didn't want to go." Tadashi interrupted.

"Hospitals make me uncomfortable!"

"Why don't you let Baymax scan her?" Honey asked. We all looked at Tadashi, who turned to me.

"Okay," I sighed.

"Baymax! Ow!" We watched the robot inflate and walk slowly over to us.

"Hello. I am Baymax, your personal healthcare companion. I detected a sound of distress."

"Hey, Baymax. I want you to scan Kate." Baymax turned to me.

"Scanning now." I suddenly felt awkward, unsure if I wanted everyone to hear what Baymax was going to say. Baymax's chest lit up. "You have multiple contusions and abrasions on your arms and legs. There is also a single laceration on your forehead, which seems to have been caused during a fall. You have slight swelling in the brain, indicating that you are recovering from a concussion and should watch for symptoms of post-concussive syndrome. As for your psychological health—"

"Okay, Baymax. That's enough." I interrupted. "I am satisfied with my care." Everyone was silent and it made me uncomfortable. "Okay. Well, we all better get back to work." I walked back to my lab station and everyone else reluctantly, started working on their projects.


	4. Teach Me

Kate

The rest of the day went by slowly and everyone was working quietly, which was pretty unusual. I stayed in the lab all day, while everyone else attended their classes. Somehow, I managed to get caught up in all of my classes and started attending to the massive amount emails that had piled up. Most of them I could delete without reading. I wasn't interested in campus events in that moment.

I heard a knock and turned to the source of the noise, Tadashi. "You ready to go?"

"Um, actually, I'm gonna stay a little longer…finish catching up. You go ahead."

"We can wait—"

"No. It's fine really. I'll walk back when I'm done." Tadashi looked at me, uncertain but gave in.

"Okay. But be careful. And if you aren't back before dark, I'm coming to pick you up. You shouldn't walk by yourself at night."

"Don't worry. I won't take long." I forced a smile and Tadashi left. I looked around and stood up cautiously. I was the only one left in the lab. I walked over to where Baymax was and sat on a desk, pulling my knees up to my chest. I look around again before whispering, "Ow." Baymax inflated and spoke.

"Hello, Kate. I heard a sound of distress."

"Baymax?" I hugged my knees and spoke softly, "Earlier, you started talking about my psychological health and I stopped you…what were you going to say?"

"You have high levels of cortisol and epinephrine, indicating that you are stressed. Your oxytocin and serotonin levels are unusually low. I suggest plenty of sleep and support from friends. I can contact your friends for you—"

"No! Please, don't. Can I just talk to you, Baymax?"

"Would that improve your emotional state?"

"It couldn't hurt." I looked up at the robot.

"Alright. What would you like to talk about?" I told him everything, more than I had told Tadashi. I was afraid to talk to the others. I knew they wouldn't judge me but I just couldn't bring myself to tell them what I remembered. Baymax, on the other hand, was easy to talk to. I didn't have to worry about what he would think or how he would treat me afterwards. He was a robot. He wasn't clouded by all the hormones and feelings that humans were. He could listen and just tell me the facts. That's what I wanted to hear. Not 'it will be okay' or 'I'm here for you'. I just wanted to hear the science, the logic. I didn't want to be seen differently, as weak or inferior. I know my friends would never try to look at me like that but I would feel different, weak, out of control. Maybe I should have been worried that I was spilling my guts to a robot but I didn't. And when I was finished, I felt good. It was all out but no one would see the fear that I had been trying so hard to hide.

"Your hormone and neurotransmitter levels have improved."

"Yeah. Thanks for talking to me, Baymax. It really helped. I am satisfied with my care." Baymax walked back to his charger and deflated. I hopped off the desk and looked at my phone. It would be getting dark soon. I quickly grabbed my things and walked out of the lab, locking up behind me. The sun was already going down. I stepped out onto the street and my phone rang. _Tadashi._

"Hey, I'm already on my way back." Tadashi seemed worried but I assured him that I would be back soon and quickened my pace after hanging up. After a few minutes, I notice someone following me. My heart rate picked up and I started shaking.

"Hey, baby! Looking good. Wanna come back to my place?" I ignored him and kept walking. "Hey, come on."

I glanced at him and replied, "Not interested," and tried to stay calm but I felt his fingers close around my wrist and he turned me around to face him. My eyes widened as he backed me into a wall. I tried to hit him but he grabbed me other wrist and pressed me into the wall. His face inched closer to mine and instinct took over. I brought my knee up and he doubled over in pain, letting go of me and swearing. I bolted away from him. I didn't stop running until the Lucky Cat Café was within my sight. I slowed and calmed my breathing before looking around and walking into the café.

Tadashi

Tadashi was sitting on the couch when Kate finally walked in. She sat across the room in one of the sofa chairs. "Hey, you okay?" She looked up, surprised.

"Yeah. I'm good." Her voice sounded bright but Tadashi could tell something was off. He looked back to the TV and decided not to push her. A few minutes passed with Kate fidgeting before she spoke, "Hey, Tadashi?" She kept her eyes on the ground and Tadashi looked at her.

"Yeah?"

"Could you teach me how to fight?" Tadashi had obtained several black belts before graduating high school and Kate had seen some of his fights. He hardly ever lost. Kate still wouldn't look at him and Tadashi was stunned by her request. He turned the TV off and turned to look at her directly.

"Why do you want to learn how to fight? Did something happen on your way back?" The worry in his voice was evident and Kate hesitated.

"I just…don't want to feel afraid anymore," she whispered. Tadashi's stomach lurched and his eyes softened. He walked over to Kate, who finally looked up, and he sat on the arm the sofa beside her. He leaned closer to her and spoke softly.

"Yeah, I'll teach you." Kate sighed in relief and Tadashi slid into the seat and put his arm around her. Kate was tiny and both of them easily fit in the chair but she leaned into Tadashi. He smiled and kissed the top of her head, continuing, "I don't want you to feel afraid anymore either, Kate. I don't want you to ever have to feel afraid." Tadashi always treated Kate gently and he appeared to be calm at that moment but he was angry. Someone had hurt her and he knew she was terrified that they would come back for her. He hated that he couldn't protect her all the time but at least he could teach her how to protect herself.


	5. Panic

Kate

"You have your own key?"

"Yup." Tadashi unlocked one of the rooms in the recreation building on campus. We had both finished our classes for the day and Tadashi suggested that we start training as soon as possible, which I was all for. We slipped off our shoes and socks before stepping on the mat and stretching. "Well let's go ahead and get started." Tadashi lay on his back. "You'll be the attacker first so go ahead and get on top of me." I stared at him and he looked up. "Come on. I'm gonna show you how to get someone off of you." I slowly walked over to him before positioning myself so I was straddling him.

"Okay. First thing you do is bring up your knees as hard as you can." I flew forward and barely caught myself, my hands ending up on either side of him. He continued slowly, explaining every step. He trapped my arm with his so my forearm was lying flat on the ground. Then, he grabbed my opposite shoulder and pushed me, rolling so he ended up on top of me.

It was my turn now. He straddled me and reminded me of each step, which was good because I hadn't even noticed that before he flipped me, he moved his foot to block mine so he could easily toss me over. Tadashi was extremely patient and I repeated the maneuver several times before I managed to flip him over in one fluid motion. "Good. You can also just flip them off of you without rolling with them, which is probably best for you right now. You'll want to get them off and run. There is no need to keep fighting them if you can get away." I nodded and we moved on.

We practiced a few chokes and joint locks before moving on to a standing position. Tadashi grabbed my wrists and pulled me closer to him. "Okay. How do you get out?"

Looking up at him, I stated flatly, "I kick you in the balls." Tadashi chuckled.

"I thought that's what you'd say." He smiled, "Unfortunately, that doesn't always work." He released my wrists and held up his own, which I took. "Move your thumbs," he warned. "No matter how tight their grip is, you can always twist your wrists. Twist them so your palms are facing you and then hit your hands together, smashing their thumbs between them. If they still manage to keep their grip, cross your hands like this and swing down." His wrists easily slid out of my grasp. We practiced that a few times before calling it a day.

Kate

We walked outside and I took in a deep breath. It was a nice day. I smiled as we were passing the fountain but my smiled was soon exchanged for a scream of surprise as a skateboarder ran into me, pushing me into the fountain. As soon as I felt the water, the panic hit.

_I felt hands holding my head under the water and I tried to struggle against them to no avail. They held me there until all my strength had left me and I began to lose consciousness. I was dying. Suddenly, I was jerked up and I gasped for air before being submerged again. Why?_

"Kate!" I faded out of the flashback and saw Tadashi. He lifted me out of the water and set me on the edge of the fountain, kneeling in front of me. His hands went up to my face and he spoke to me softly as he pushed my hair back, away from my face. "Hey. Kate, look at me." My eyes found his but I couldn't stop trembling and I still felt as if I couldn't breathe. I took in shallow breaths, my heart racing. I grabbed Tadashi's shirt with a shaky hand as the dizziness set in. The world was spinning and my vision blurred. I tried to speak but nothing came out and I felt Tadashi pick me up again. He walked quickly away from the crowd that had formed and into a building. I felt Tadashi sit down with me in his lap, wrapping his arms around my shaking body. I buried my face in his chest, my hand still gripping his shirt. Eventually, I was able to breathe normally and I felt the shaking stop.

Exhausted, my grip on Tadashi's shirt loosened and my hand dropped into my lap. I collapsed against Tadashi and my eyes started to close. Tadashi tucked a lock of wet hair behind my ear and bent his head down, whispering, "You with me now?" I was barely able to nod before I passed out.

Tadashi

Kate was breathing normally now. Her eyes were closed and her head was resting against Tadashi's chest. "Hey," he whispered, "can you go to my lab section and grab the blanket that's in there?" Hiro was back with the blanket within a few seconds and he helped Tadashi wrap it around Kate. Tadashi had slept in the lab on numerous occasions to continue his work on Baymax and he was glad he kept a blanket in there for late night work sessions.

Most of the others tried to give Tadashi some space and went back to their stations but Hiro sat by Tadashi's feet, staring at the floor. "Hey." Hiro's head whipped up.

"Hey," Tadashi whispered, "You feeling okay?"

Kate nodded and whispered, "Cold." Tadashi carried her over to Baymax, who turned on his heater. Kate sighed and Baymax spoke. "Your neurotransmitter levels are returning to normal. Would you like to talk about what caused your anxiety?" Tadashi assumed that she wouldn't want to talk in front of him and turned away, hoping she would at least talk to Baymax. He was not expecting Kate to reach out to him.

"You're cold too," she whispered. "Asphyxiation." Tadashi looked at her. "Its one of the most effective torture methods. When you're drowning, carbon dioxide levels increase and eventually you can't hold your breath anymore. They held me under until I thought I'd pass out. Then they pulled me up, allowing me to gasp in a breath before starting over again. Sometimes, they would hold me under too long and my carbon dioxide levels increased to the breath-hold breakpoint. Once you get to that point, you can't help but inhale the water." She looked up to Tadashi's horrified face. "Yeah, that sucked. But they'd always stop after that. They didn't want to kill me…still don't remember what they wanted, though. Tadashi was shaking with anger and Kate took his hand. "Hey, I'm okay." She didn't regret telling him but wished that she didn't have to see the rage that was so evident on his face. He softened his gaze and hugged Kate to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and breathed in deeply. Tadashi kissed her temple and whispered, "Lets just stay here for a while." Kate rested her head on his shoulder and he closed his eyes as she breathed softly into his neck.


	6. It's A Surprise

**Author's Note: Sorry this is a short chapter but I plan to update again tomorrow. **

**Thanks to my friend, Hannah, for helping me decide what Kate's project would be!**

Kate

I was going through some notes when I heard an unfamiliar voice coming from the entrance to our lab. "Is Kaitlyn Bailey here?" I looked up from my notes.

"Uh, yeah. She's over here. Kate?" I turned around to see Wasabi standing with a police officer.

"I'm Officer Wilson. We spoke before. I'd like to speak with you alone, if possible." He glanced at Wasabi.

"Sure. Just close the door."

He sat down before speaking again. "Can you tell me about the project you are working on? We think it may have something to do with your kidnapping."

Well that definitely possible. "I'm working on memory manipulation."

"Like mind control? Why would you want to do something like that?" I shook my head. I knew this would be his reaction.

"No, not mind control. I want to be able to enhance or fade memories. It could help people with amnesia or PTSD. The purpose isn't to completely get rid of painful memories or create false memories. It's to ease the intensity of traumatic memories or recover forgotten memories. I realize that my work is controversial. People would assume that I want destroy or implant false memories, which is highly unethical. Because of that, I've only told a few select people."

"Who knows what you are working on?"

"Officially, only my advisor and his superiors."

"Officially?"

"Well that information goes into SFIT's system. Very few have permission to access the system but this is SFIT. There are at least 100 people at this school who can hack into the system. And that's just the students here. I'm sure there are several others in San Fransokyo who could hack themselves in." Officer Wilson sighed.

"Well have you remembered anything from the three days that you were missing?"

I looked down. "A little," I spoke softly. He looked at me expectantly so I continued. "I remember being attacked in my apartment. He broke in while I was on the phone with Tadashi."

"Do you remember what he looked like?"

"No," I whispered. "I couldn't see his face. I can see him in my head but his face is blurry. He's Caucasian and weighs about 180 pounds. He was tall, about 6'3. That's it."

"Any other memories come back?"

"One. They wanted to know about something. I don't know for sure but it probably was about my project. I wasn't very helpful."

"How many of them were there? Do you remember what they looked like?"

"I was a little too busy drowning to count, actually," I answered harshly, crossing my arms. I wanted to be done with this conversation. He seemed to recognize that I didn't want to talk anymore.

"Well if you remember anything else, don't hesitate to call. Thank you for your time." He left and sighed, putting my head in my hands.

"Hey, Kate. You okay?" I looked up. Tadashi had peeked his head in the room.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you really fine or is that code for something else?" I chuckled.

"I'm good," I rephrased.

"Great. So, I was thinking."

"Oh no." He smiled.

"No, its good. I promise." He sat on the edge of my desk. "I was thinking and we haven't been out on a date in a while."

"You want to go on a date with me?"

"Well you are my girlfriend."

"What do you have in mind?"

"It's a surprise." I pouted. "Nope. It won't work. I'm not telling."

I gave up. "Fine."

"Great. You'll love it. Tonight okay?"

"Okay." He smiled and kissed my head before going back to his own lab area. I smiled, wondering what he was planning. He always planned the best dates but he didn't usually keep them a secret. I went back to my notes but we left SFIT not long after I started.


	7. Stargazing

Kate

I stood wide-eyed in front of Tadashi. "Nuh uh. No way. That is not happening…"

"Come on! I promise you'll be safe." I looked at his moped and back to the blindfold.

"Nope. Can't do it." I turned back towards the café but Tadashi grabbed my wrist. "Tadashi—"

"You'll be fine. Don't you trust me?" I made the mistake of looking into his eyes. Curse those beautiful eyes.

"Fine!" I gave in and Tadashi looked like he was about to start cheering. He stood behind me and tied the blindfold over my eyes. He took my hand and led me to the moped, helping me sit down. As soon as he sat down in front of me I wrapped my arms around him. "This really isn't fair, you know...using those big brown eyes to get your way." I could feel him chuckle and I squeezed him tighter as he started down the street. He didn't speed or anything and he was a good driver but not being able to see was a bit unnerving.

I felt the moped slow to a stop and Tadashi led me by the hand. "How long to I have to keep this thing on?"

"Not much longer, I promise." We walked a little further before he stopped. "Okay, I'm gonna take the blindfold off but I want you to keep your eyes closed."

"Okay…" I felt the blindfold slip off but I kept my eyes closed.

"Now lay down here."

"Tadashi, what—"

"Trust me." I sighed and sat down hesitantly. I felt a blanket and lay down, eyes still closed. Tadashi was lying beside when he whispered, "Okay. Open your eyes."

The stars were shining brightly and a smile spread across my face. I could hardly ever see the stars when we were in the city because of all the streetlights. But it was so dark here and I had never seen the sky look so beautiful. I could feel Tadashi looking at me and I turned to him. "Dashi, it's perfect!" I whispered. He started playing music from his phone and we just stared at the stars.

I heard a familiar strumming and popped up, pulling Tadashi with me. He laughed as I starting singing along. "Oh don't you dare look back. Just keep your eyes on me. I said 'you're holding back' she said 'shut up and dance with me.'" I snatched the hat off of his head and put it on my own, dancing to the music. Tadashi threw his head back and laughed. He took my hand and started dancing with me, which was surprising. The song ended and he pulled me closer. I looked up at him and smiled before turning to go back to the blanket but he drew me back towards him. Before I could say anything, he kissed me. This kiss was different from all of our others. Typically, it was just a kiss on the cheek or a short peck on the lips but this…this was indescribable.

He pulled away and lifted me by the waist, spinning me around, a look of excitement on his face. I laughed and felt my feet touch the ground. "What—"

He interrupted me before I could finish. "I just realized that I am completely in love with you…and it feels incredible!" _Wait. Did he just…?_

I laced my fingers with his and pulled him into another kiss. Breaking away, I looked up at him and whispered, "I love you too." He smiled down at me and tried to go for the hat but I stepped back. "Uh uh," I teased. He grinned and I knew he was going to challenge me so I ran. It didn't take long for him to reach me. I felt his arm around my waist and he pulled me backwards. My feet lifted off the ground and I laughed. He plucked the hat off my head and placed it back on his own. He set me down and stood behind me with both arms wrapped around me. He lowered his head to whisper in my ear. "I win." I smiled and used one of the moves he had taught me to throw him off balance. He fell backwards, pulling me with him. I landed on top of him and we both started laughing. I rolled off of him but placed my head on his chest and laced my fingers with his. I smiled and whispered, "Thank you…for tonight." I felt him kiss the top of my head.

"You're welcome."

* * *

Tadashi

Kate soon fell asleep and Tadashi just stared down at her. She was so beautiful and it was hard for him to believe that she loved him. He stroked her long, soft hair and smiled. He loved everything about her and couldn't believe that it took him so long to realize that. She was one of the kindest people he had ever met and she was funny too. He loved seeing her eyes light up and he loved it even more when he was the reason she seemed so happy. She was tiny and sometimes he would see her climb onto a counter to get something down from the top shelf. And even though she was tiny, she was a fighter.

He enjoyed watching her sleep so peacefully instead of being plagued by nightmares and he hated having to wake her up but soon he roused her and they headed back to the café. She was worn-out and could hardly walk in a straight line. He carried her up the stairs and to his bed. He slid in beside her and she reached out for him, resting her head on his chest again. She sighed in her sleep and murmured, "I love you." He kissed the top of her head and even though he knew she was asleep, he whispered back, "Love you too, Kate."


	8. He Would Want To Know

Kate

I woke up with my head on Tadashi's chest and his arm around me. I looked up at him and he moved his hand to stroke my hair, still sleeping. I smiled and thought about the night before. Everything felt simple for a change. I had been so stressed and confused before our date, thinking about my project and my kidnapping. But, I felt safe with Tadashi. Last night was just about us and I didn't think about anything but us. I wasn't confused or afraid. I was just happy. He made me forget about everything else.

"Hey." I looked at Tadashi and smiled.

"Hey," I whispered back. I didn't want to move but we couldn't stay in bed the whole day so I propped myself up beside him and then pushed myself out of bed. "Come on." I pushed him lightly. "Can't lay in bed all day." He groaned but sat up.

He reached for his hat but I grabbed it first and shook my head, smiling. "You're too groggy. Go take a shower and wake up." I put his cap on my head and turned away. He made a little noise and I looked back to see him stumbling to the bathroom. I walked downstairs to the café where Cass was running around trying to keep all her customers happy. Saturdays were always busy. I quickly threw on an apron and walked behind the counter to take orders. Cass smiled gratefully as I started making coffee.

I was taking a customers order when I felt a hand on my waist. I glanced up at Tadashi and smiled. He took my place at the counter and I started taking orders to tables. Things calmed down around 3:00 and we went back upstairs to relax. We spent the rest of the day watching TV on the couch and we went to bed early. Tadashi had seemed pretty out of it all day and I wondered if he was getting sick. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow but I had trouble sleeping.

My dreams were just chaotic flashes of memories and I jerked awake around midnight. Tadashi's arms instinctively tightened around me but I couldn't relax. I gently freed myself and climbed out of bed. Maybe some tea would calm me down. I walked downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed a mug from the cabinet. Hearing something from the café, I jumped and cautiously made my way towards the sound.

I flipped the light on and my anxiety was replaced with confusion. "Hiro? What are you doing?" The boy turned towards me, looking guilty.

"I was just," he looked around nervously, "making sure the door was locked…wouldn't want anybody getting in." He laughed.

My eyes narrowed as I looked down to see Megabot. "You're going bot fighting, aren't you?"

He looked at me, his eyes pleading. "Please don't tell Tadashi that I'm going bot fighting. It will just upset him!"

I crossed my arms and replied, "I won't tell Tadashi." He looked hopeful but I continued. "I won't tell Tadashi because you're not going bot fighting."

"What?"

"You're not going. It's dangerous."

"I'll be fine! It's not even a big deal."

"No, Hiro." I sighed. "You're a smart kid. Why not use that big brain of yours for something incredible?"

"Like what? Tadashi's nurse bot?"

"No. Something that's yours. Something that matters to you. I don't want you to be like Tadashi, none of us do. Use your brain for something you care about. Challenge yourself." Hiro slumped his shoulders and I sighed, wondering how many times Tadashi had told him that. "Come on. Let's have some tea."

"I don't want tea."

I turned back to him, pouting. "You're not gonna make me sit here alone are you?"

"Fine." He sat down and I made us some tea. He lightened up and we joked around some before he stopped and asked me "Why did you come down here, anyway?"

I looked down at my cup and whispered, "Nightmare."

"You're still having nightmares? Why didn't you wake up Tadashi?"

I smiled sadly, "I can't wake up Tadashi every time I have a nightmare, Hiro."

"But he wouldn't mind!"

"It doesn't matter. Sometimes, you have to deal with things on your own. I know I could ask Tadashi for help but…I know it makes him sad when I talk about what happened."

"Have you not told him everything you remember?"

"No," I whispered. "He doesn't need to know everything that happened. No one needs to know."

"We may not need to know but I think you need someone to know. So why not tell me?"

"I can't, Hiro." I started shaking and Hiro looked at me, concerned.

"What haven't you told Tadashi, Kate? What are you so afraid of telling him?" I shook my head and tried to ignore the tears rolling down my face. "Kate, please tell me. I promise I won't say anything to Tadashi." I couldn't. There was no way I could tell them everything that had happened. "Why can't you tell us?"

"Saying it out loud makes it real." My voice cracked.

"It's already real, Kate. Just tell me." I just covered my face with my hands. Hiro whispered carefully, "Did they…did they rape you?" My stomach lurched and I shook my head. "Did they try?" I nodded, refusing to look at him. Hiro climbed onto my lap and hugged me. "We won't let them hurt you anymore. Me and Tadashi, we can help you. You just have to ask." He paused. "You should tell Tadashi. He would want to know."

I looked at him. "Hiro, I can't. He—"

"He'll what? Get angry? Yeah, he'll get angry but not at you. He loves you. He went crazy when you disappeared. He thought you were dead, Kate." Hiro's eyes filled with tears. "He just wants you to be safe. Safe and happy. He already lost you once. Just tell him."

"I don't know…"

"I'll make you a deal then. You tell Tadashi and I'll quit bot fighting." I stared at him, trying to decide if he really meant it.

"Okay. I'll tell Tadashi."


	9. It's Not Over

Kate

It had been over a week and with the help of Tadashi, I moved back into my apartment. I still hadn't found the right time to follow through on my promise to Hiro though. And now that I was sleeping alone, the nightmares were out of control. I woke up most nights crying and struggling to breathe but I never told Tadashi. I have to learn to deal with this by myself. I can't just run to Tadashi every time I have a nightmare.

Tonight's nightmare was worse than normal and caused me to wake up screaming. Tears streamed down my face and I slowly sat up, staring at my hands. I couldn't stop the shaking. I felt my stomach lurch and I rushed to the bathroom. Falling to the ground in front of the toilet, I emptied the contents of my stomach. Panting, I used the counter to pull myself up before rinsing my mouth. I walked to the kitchen slowly, still trembling. There was no way I was going to make it through my classes today. I couldn't even make it to the couch in the living room. I collapsed in the kitchen and leaned up against the wall. I wasn't going to try getting up again.

Two hours later, I was still on the floor. I heard my phone go off in the other room but made no move to get it. I guessed Tadashi was the one texting me. He was probably worried because I wasn't in lab yet. I sighed and crawled to my phone to check the message. I was right. _"I'm fine. Working from home today." _I sent the message, not being able to think of a real excuse. Another hour passed and I ignored all other messages sent to my phone.

I jumped at a knock on the door. Confused, I slowly made my way to the door. Tadashi? A piece of paper slid under the door and I stopped. I knelt down to read it and my breathing hitched. _It's not over. Not yet._ I started crying again as I backed away from the door and to the counter. They're here. Of course it's not over. If they get ahold of my project, it will never be over. Maybe I should quit and destroy my data. My project could be used to hurt a lot of people. But it could also help a lot of people. What about the people who need it?

"I don't know what to do anymore!" I dropped to my knees and put my head in my hands. I heard another knock at the door and jumped up, grabbing a knife.

"Kate?" I didn't answer. I just stood there, shaking with the knife in my hand. The voice didn't stop calling for me but I didn't make a sound. My grip tightened on the knife as I watched the doorknob turn. I could have sworn the door had been locked. "Kate? What's going on?" My eyes widened. It was Tadashi. How had I not recognized his voice? He looked at the knife in my hand and spoke gently. "Kate, it's okay. No one is going to hurt you." I stared at him and then dropped the knife. He approached me cautiously and pulled me into his arms.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I should have known it was you." I cried into his shirt. "How did I not know it was you? I heard your voice. What's wrong with me?"

He hugged me tighter and whispered. "It's okay. We'll figure this out, Kate." He led me to the couch and I curled up next to him. "Maybe you should see a counselor."

I hated that idea but he was probably right. There was something wrong with me. "I think I'm going crazy."

"Hey. You are not crazy. We'll get help, okay? You went through a lot." I should tell him.

"Tadashi?"

"Yeah?"

"I need to tell you something."

"So tell me." I pulled away.

"It's not that easy, Tadashi."

"Kate, just tell me. Nothing you can say is going to change how I feel about you."

I looked down at my hands in my lap but spoke, "I remembered. I remember everything but the faces." I paused and took a breath. "Tadashi, they tried—" My voice broke but I tried to keep going. Whispering, I continued, "They tried to rape me." I couldn't look at him but he hugged me close and stroked my hair.

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there to stop them. But I will never let them touch you again." I cried against him and he continued to hold me close.

"It's not over. That's what they said. It will never be over," I whispered. He put his hands on the sides of my face and used his thumbs to wipe away the tears.

"I promise you that I won't ever let them hurt you again. Okay?" I wanted to believe him. I really did. But I just wasn't sure. I loved him but could he really protect me from them? Could anyone protect me from them?

Instead of telling him this, I whispered, "Okay."


	10. PTSD

Kate

It was two weeks before SFIT's counseling center could see me but today was the day. Tadashi decided to wait for me outside but I was nervous the entire time. I sat in the chair with my knees drawn up to my chest, trying not to look at the man in front of me. I was completely honest with the psychologist even though I felt crazy for doing so. I desperately needed his help. He never once looked at me like I was crazy though, which I appreciated.

"Well, Kaitlyn. Typically, I wait longer before this kind of diagnosis but in your case, I believe it will be better to go ahead and let you know what is going on." I forced myself to look up at him. "I know you feel like you are going crazy but you are not. It isn't that simple. You have PTSD. This is serious enough that I would like to start seeing you weekly." He kept talking about my _condition _but I stopped listening. I knew enough about PTSD. I had to do a lot of research on it and anxiety disorders for my project.

I walked out feeling numb and Tadashi was immediately by my side. We walked back to lab without saying a word. I let my bag slide to the floor and I sat down on one of the stools. Tadashi sat down beside me and asked, "So, how did it go?" I looked around to make sure no one in lab was paying attention to us. Everyone was engrossed in their own projects so I decided to go ahead and tell him.

"He's already diagnosed me," I whispered as I pulled books out of my bag. I paused before continuing. "PTSD." I tried to keep my voice as emotionless as possible while I flipped through a book about neurotransmitters.

"So your project could help when you finish it." He sounded hopeful but I sighed.

"I don't know if I'm even going to finish it."

"What? Why?" He asked a little too loudly and I quickly glanced around. A few people looked up, confused, but went back to work.

I leaned toward him and whispered, "It's too dangerous. Do you know what could happen if the wrong person got their hands on my work? I should destroy it."

"Don't give up! You can't let this work go to waste." He argued, "Think about how many people it could help."

"And how many it could hurt!" I didn't want to talk about this anymore. I stood and slung my bag over my shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow." I turned to go but he grabbed my wrist. His grip was light but I was already annoyed with him. I ripped my wrist out of his grasp with more force than necessary and hissed, "Don't touch me." He recoiled and I turned on my heel, storming out of the room.

I didn't even know where I was going until I was already there. I walked through the park and sat down underneath a tree. Leaning against the trunk, I closed my eyes.

It wasn't long before I felt my phone buzz and I pulled it out. Turning it off, I threw it back in my bag, closing my eyes again.

"Hey." I sighed, frustrated that I was being interrupted again. I looked up at the man in front of me. What could he want? He knelt down so he was at eye level with me and smiled. "I'm Cole. What's your name?"

My eyes narrowed. "Why?" He laughed and sat down.

"Do I really need a reason to ask your name? I just thought we could talk."

"I don't think so." I got up to leave but he jumped up to stop me.

"Wait! Why won't you talk to me?"

"I don't know you." I tried to walk around him but he kept moving in front of me. "Move."

"What? Afraid of strangers?" He chuckled.

"You would be too if someone broke into your house and almost killed you, leaving you with amnesia and PTSD," I spat out angrily. He stopped in shock and I took the opportunity to walk past him. He quickly recovered and ran to catch up to me.

"Wait, did that actually happen to you?" I glared at him but kept walking. "Hey! I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to scare you." I stopped and turned to him.

"I'm not scared, Cole. I'm angry." I started walking again and this time he didn't follow.


	11. Without You

**Kate**

I had spent a few days without talking Tadashi and I missed him but I wasn't sure how to talk to him. I had been going to classes and lab but he was giving me my space…the space I didn't really want anymore. I had overreacted. I just didn't know how to apologize.

It was Saturday and I hadn't been outside yet. I was going stir crazy. I decided that I wanted to out that night. I didn't usually go to parties but I did know of a club not too far away. I looked in the mirror and ran a hand through my blonde hair. I felt weak. I looked too innocent, too easy to take advantage of. It was time to change that.

I sat in the chair, afraid to look at myself. _Maybe I shouldn't have done it._ But the hairdresser smiled and handed me a mirror. My eyes widened and I smiled before looking up at her. "Thank you. I love it."

* * *

My red hair gave me a boost of confidence and I walked into the club like I had done it a thousand times before. I talked to a lot of people but every time a guy asked me to dance, I declined. I wasn't interested in another guy. I just wanted a distraction. I met a group of girls and spent most of the night with them. We went up to the bar and they questioned me when I ordered water. "I'm here to have fun not get wasted and spend the night next to the toilet." They shrugged and took their drinks.

Soon, they were all up dancing with guys they didn't know but I stayed in my seat. Even though I had only been drinking water, I was starting to feel strange. _Could someone have spiked my drink? _I pulled out my phone, thinking about calling Tadashi but just set it on the table in front of me. My head was spinning and I couldn't think. Someone slid into the seat across from me and I looked up. _Cole._ I groaned.

"What do you want?"

"You don't look so good, Red. Can't hold your liquor?"

"I don't drink. Its water." He took my glass and sniffed it.

"Huh. Why do you look drunk then?"

"I think someone spiked it," I whispered.

"You left your drink alone?"

"No," I said angrily, standing up. "I don't want to talk to you anymore." I didn't make it very far before getting dizzy. Cole stood quickly and caught me before I could hit the ground.

"Woah, Red. You're really out of it. Can I call someone for you?"

I leaned against his chest, gripping his shirt, trying to stay upright even though he was still holding me. "No," I murmured. "I'm going home."

"Not alone, you're not."

"Are you gonna try to stop me?" I challenged.

He chuckled. "I wouldn't have to try very hard. You can't even stand up by yourself." He helped me back into a seat and I leaned against the wall, sighing. He took my phone and dialed but everything was getting blurry. I rested my head on the table and squeezed my eyes shut. I didn't care that Cole had my phone anymore. I was just trying to stay conscious.

* * *

**Cole**

I dialed her last call. Tadashi. _I wonder who he is. A brother? Boyfriend? Coworker?_

He answered quickly, "Kate? Are you okay?"

"So that's her name…" I smiled.

"Who is this? Where is Kate?" He sounded worried. Really worried…and angry. _Gotta be either a brother or boyfriend._

"Don't freak out, dude. My name is Cole. As for Kate…well she says she isn't drunk but it doesn't look that way to me."

"Kate doesn't drink. Where is she?"

I told him the name of the club and he said he would be there in ten minutes. He made it in five.

* * *

**Tadashi**

Who was Cole and why was Kate with him? Why was she even at that club? She doesn't party. I borrowed Aunt Cass' car and drove as fast as I could without getting pulled over. If Kate really was drunk, I didn't want to risk driving the moped. I didn't want to worry about whether or not she couldn't hold on. I rushed into the club and looked around for Kate. When I found her, my jaw dropped. Her hair was red! _When did she do that? What is going on? _"Kate?"

* * *

**Kate**

I heard someone say my name and looked up. _Tadashi? Why was he here?_ "Cole called me." I would have turned to glare at Cole but I had hardly been able to lift my head from the table. "Come on, Kate. Let's get you home." I was too exhausted to even think about moving, let alone fighting so I let him pulled me into his arms.

* * *

**Tadashi**

I picked her up and she rested her head against my chest. I had missed her being so close. I turned to Cole and thanked him for calling me.

"No problem. I think she was actually about to call you herself but got too dizzy. I think she realized something was off but it was too late to do anything about it."

"So you don't think she just got drunk?" He shook his head and pointed to a glass.

"She stuck with water."

I tried to keep my eyes on the road but Kate was whimpering in the passenger seat. I glanced at her and my eyes softened. She looked miserable. I put my hand on her leg to comfort her. She started to cry and my heart lurched. "Shh."

"I'm sorry I yelled at you before," she managed to choke out. My hand moved to stroke her hair and she whispered, "I don't want to lose you."

We made it to the café and I pulled over before turning to her but she wouldn't look at me. I wiped her tears away with my thumbs and kissed her forehead. She finally looked up and I spoke softly. "I'm not going anywhere, Kate. Not without you."


	12. You Promised

Note: I'm sorry it's been so long since I've updated!

* * *

Kate

I woke up with my head on someone's chest and I stiffened. I felt a hand in my hair and looked up. _Tadashi_. I relaxed against his chest and breathed a sigh of relief. "Hey," he whispered. "How do you feel?"

"Better than last night."

"So you remember it then?"

"Vaguely…. you know, you never really think its gonna be you that gets drugged."

"You should be more careful."

"I was careful…" I mumbled into his chest.

"Not careful enough, apparently." He paused. "You know, we don't know what it was…. Honey did a urine test...tested for 15 different drugs. Each was a negative."

"Of course it was."

"Do you think…?" Tadashi hesitated. "Do you think it was the same group of people who kidnapped you?"

"I don't know…what did they get out of it? Were they going to try to kidnap me again and they just didn't plan on Cain being there to call you? Why did they let me go in the first place? I don't really understand any of it. I just feel like I'm being attacked on all sides."

Tadashi tightened his arms around me and whispered, "I won't let them take you away from me. I won't lose you again."

* * *

Tadashi and I decided to walk to SFIT just for something to do. It was Saturday and we didn't have any classes but we could still get some work done. Hiro came with us because he had something in the lab he wanted to work on. We stayed until it was dark, all of us wanting to keep our mind on our work for as long as possible. I tried to not think about the people who wanted to steal my work.

Once we had finally made it outside, Hiro stopped and smacked himself. "Ugh! I forgot something. You guys wait here. I'll be right back." I sat down on the edge of the fountain and looked around. There were several people coming and going. Two security guards leaned against the building, obviously bored until the fire alarm went off. One jumped to life and ran inside the building to make sure everyone was leaving and the other stepped forward, blocking the entrance so that no one could go in. Tadashi and I weren't concerned at first. The fire alarms at SFIT went off all the time. It was usually just a mild accident in one of the chemistry labs, nothing to worry about. But as time passed, we could see the flames and smoke building.

When Tadashi saw that there was actually a fire, he jumped up and started running for the building. I ran after him but one of the security guards already had him restrained by the time I caught up to him. Tadashi was screaming. "Let me go! My brother is in there!" I stopped in front of them and the other security guard came out of the building.

"I couldn't stay in there. The smoke is too bad but the fire department is on its way."

That wasn't good enough. My heart pounding, I made a split second decision. I ran for the door, ducking away from the guard's reach. This gave Tadashi the opportunity to break free and follow me. "Hiro!" We both scream, looking around for him. When I was sure I was about to pass out from the smoke, I found him and screamed for Tadashi. Hiro was unconscious but breathing so I picked him up and started for the exit with Tadashi following. I slowed so he could catch up but he yelled, "Keep going. You need to get him out." Reluctantly, I picked up my pace. I went as fast as I could but I could hardly breathe and my vision was blurry. When I made it out the building, I turned around and saw Tadashi running out the door. I tried to keep going, struggling with Hiro's weight. I didn't get very far before a violent coughing fit hit me. I felt someone pulling us further from the building and I looked back towards the flames. Tadashi was still too close to the building. I handed Hiro off to an officer and slipped away from him, heading back towards Tadashi. I didn't pay attention to the people yelling for me to stop.

Tadashi motioned for me to turn back around but I ignored him. I couldn't just stand there and wait for him. Before I got very far, the building exploded, sending both of us flying. I hit my head when I landed and then curled in on myself. I looked up to see firefighters and EMTs running towards us. "Tadashi," I croaked. He stayed still and tears filled my eyes as I tried to crawl toward him. "Please be okay," I whispered. I grabbed his hand, tears pouring down my face. "Don't you dare leave me, Tadashi. You promised." Sobbing, I held on to him, clutching him for dear life. My mind felt cloudy and I knew I was going to pass out but I was able whisper to him one more time before the darkness took over. "Don't leave me."


	13. Be Okay

Kate

I woke up to sound of beeping. I kept my eyes closed and tried to get more comfortable so I could go back to sleep. Feeling something tug at my arm, I stopped and opened my eyes. An IV? I looked around. A hospital? Why was I—oh! I gasped and lurched up. My heart was racing as I tried to get out of bed. Tadashi. I had to find Tadashi. Before I could stand, a nurse came running in to push me back onto the bed.

"You shouldn't try to walk just yet. You've been asleep for two days."

Two days?

"Is Tadashi okay?" The nurse frowned.

"I'm not allowed to discuss—"

"Please! You have to tell me if he's okay. He was closer to the building when it exploded!" Tears started clouding my eyes as I begged her to tell me that Tadashi was fine and my heart fell when I heard her sigh.

"He hasn't woken up yet."

"But he's gonna be okay, right."

"You should really get some more rest. Head injuries aren't something you should take lightly."

I crossed my arms and stared at her. "No. I want to see Tadashi."

"Tadashi isn't taking any visitors. Only family members can see him." I turned away from her and stared out the window. I didn't lie back against my pillows until she had left the room. My phone was setting beside me and I looked at the time. 8 PM. Maybe if I waiting long enough, I could sneak into Tadashi's room when no one was looking.

* * *

Aunt Cass

Cass had closed the café for a few days so she could spend time visiting with Tadashi but he still hadn't woken up. That morning she decided to go alone and leave Hiro at home. When a nurse took her to Tadashi's room, they found someone sleeping in the chair beside his bed. Shocked, the nurse said "I don't know how she got in here but we'll make sure it doesn't happen again." She started to wake the visitor up before Cass stopped her.

"No, its fine. She's a friend." The nurse looked doubtful but left anyway. Cass stared at Kate. She was sitting in the chair but her head lay on the bed next to Tadashi and her hand held his. Cass had gone in to see her a few times while she was still unconscious and was glad that she had finally woken up and made her way to Tadashi. Maybe her presence would wake him up faster.

Cass loved to watch he two of them together. She had never seen them fight but knew how sad Tadashi was after an argument. They didn't fight often and when Kate had gone missing, Tadashi nearly went insane with worry. She always figured they'd tie the knot one day. She hoped that they could make it through this.

Their feelings for each other hadn't changed since Kate's disappearance but she knew it was difficult for them both. Cass knew that this situation would also be hard on them and she wished that they could just be happy.

Cass had no problem with Kate spending the night. She knew about the nightmares and hoped that sleeping with Tadashi nearby helped quell her fears. Cass loved Kate like a daughter and seeing her hurt was difficult but she loved that even though she had been hurt as well, she fought to make her way to Tadashi.

Cass stood there, watching the two of them sleep. After a while Kate sucked in a breath and Cass could have sworn she saw Tadashi twitch. _Please let them be okay, _she thought.


	14. Open Your Eyes

Kate

Tadashi still hadn't woken up and Cass had left for the day. Thanks to Cass, I was allowed to stay with Tadashi even though I wasn't family and I was very grateful. The only time I left Tadashi's room was when my doctor asked to check me out. And the only reason I agreed was so he would let me sign myself out. Afterwards, I came straight back and refused to leave. Nurses would try to convince me to go down to the food court but I wasn't hungry. So I just sat with Tadashi, talking to him like he could hear me…who knows? Maybe he could.

"I just…I don't know what to do anymore, Tadashi. Please wake up. You promised you wouldn't leave me." I choked up and had to pause. With tears in my eyes, I whispered, "I don't know how much longer I can take this, Tadashi. I don't…I don't feel well anymore. I'm scared. I'm so scared, Tadashi…I can't lose you."

I had these one sided conversations with him and I prayed that he would be okay but he never responded. It had been a week and he still hadn't woken up. Eventually, Cass forced me to go home so I could at least shower and change clothes. I would spend the rest of my time at the hospital. I didn't go to school, I didn't take calls, and I barely even talked to Cass. As time went on and Tadashi showed no signs of improvement, my thoughts grew darker. Nurses would try to make me laugh or at least smile but I just stared blankly until they went away. Sometimes, Hiro would visit. And he was just as silent as me. I wished I could comfort him…I knew Tadashi would have wanted me to but I just couldn't. I couldn't even comfort myself.

I stood to stretch my legs and walked into the bathroom. I stared at myself in the mirror with disgust before splashing cold water on my face and returning to the chair next to Tadashi. I looked awful. My skin was pale, my eyes were red from crying, and there were massive black circles beneath them. It was all too much…being kidnapped, drugged, and then watching the man you loved slowly whither away. I burst into tears and couldn't stop myself; I clung to Tadashi's hand as I sobbed into his sheets. "Please wake up. I miss you. Don't leave me. Please don't leave me." I felt his hand grip mine tighter and I stopped breathing. Slowly, I raised my head to look at him. His eyes were still closed but his hand held mine tightly. Did he hear me? My free hand went to brush his hair back and I kissed his forehead. "Tadashi," I whispered. "Open your eyes for me. Please, just open your eyes," I begged. I stared at him and he stirred slightly but his eyes remained closed. "C'mon, you can do it. Show me those big beautiful eyes." I held my breath, waiting for him to wake up but he didn't. His grip loosened slightly and I sighed. Maybe he couldn't hear me. He was probably just dreaming. I gasped as I felt his thumb stroking the back of my hand and I looked back to him. His eyes were closed but he was smiling. I stroked his cheek and his free hand went up to touch mine. Slowly, his eyes opened and I let out a sob. He pulled me to his chest and rubbed my back.

"Shhh, Kate. It's okay." I couldn't respond so I just sobbed into his chest until a nurse came in to see that he was awake. She tried to pry me off of him but I clung to his shirt and he didn't let go of my trembling form. Eventually, the doctor came in and checked up on Tadashi as well as he could with me practically laying on top of him.


End file.
